Hello! Yesterday afternoon and evening, I hiked various parts of Highbanks including the Dripping Rock, Overlook, and Wetland trails, and the back half of the pet trail. Also, I parked my car near the river where I observed a Yellow-Throated Warbler (first of year) in the sycamore trees. Highlights of the more notable terrestrial birds seen and/or heard during the hike are as follows: Swallows-about 35-40 Tree, 2 Barn, and 4 Northern Rough-Winged at the wetlands Winter Wren-1 (for the last several days) in the woods loop of the pet trail Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker-1 male along Dripping Rock Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher-2 along Dripping Rock Eastern Phoebe-2 along Dripping Rock Yellow-Rumped Warbler-about 12 total Ruby-Crowned Kinglet Swamp Sparrow-2 in back loop of pet trail White-Throated Sparrow-several seen and heard (both chips and song) Eastern Bluebird-3 total (also 3 eggs in one of the boxes that I monitor) Brown Creeper-2 along Dripping Rock Eastern Towhee-about 10 total The following waterfowl also were observed: Blue-Winged Teal-2 at pond by barn, and 3 pairs in wet area observed across river from Overlook deck Northern Shoveler-1 male at wetlands Ring-Necked Duck-2 pairs at wetlands Wood Duck-9 at wetlands, 2 pairs in wet area across Overlook deck Great Egret-2 in wet area across Overlook deck Bufflehead-1 at wetlands Hooded Merganser-1 male and 3 females at wetlands Lesser Scaup-1 male at pond by barn, 15 at wetlands Directions to Highbanks can be found at _www.metroparks.net_ (http://www.metroparks.net) and on the OOS web site. Rob Lowry Powell, Ohio **************It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money & Finance. (http://money.aol.com/tax?NCID=aolcmp00300000002850) ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]